Warriors have three players chosen first-team all-conference in volleyball
Lewis-Clark State College junior outside hitter Anile Clemente was named the Frontier Conference’s Most Valuable player and joined two Lewis-Clark State College teammates – seniors Julie Maciboba and Lindsay Scott – on the all-conference volleyball team, while coach Jennifer Greeny was named the conference Coach of the Year for the second straight season, it was announced Thursday.
The Warriors also had two players – outside hitters Lauryn Herrick and Jose Lyman – named to the conference’s all freshmen team. Scott also shared the co-Libero of the Year award.
Clemente, who was co-MVP last season, helped the Warriors to their second straight conference regular-season title and No. 14 ranking in the NAIA national poll. The Warriors are 25-2 overall and 12-2 in conference play.
Maciboba, a middle blocker, was a second-team selection last season, while Scott, a libero, also had a solid and consistent senior year in helping LCSC earn the top seed at the conference tournament, which opens Friday at the LCSC Activity Center in Lewiston, Idaho.
Frontier Conference commissioner Mike Walker honored the all-conference selections at a pre-tournament social on Thursday night. The voting was done by the eight conference coaches who were not allowed to vote for their own players.
“I think it’s a great honor when coaches honor your team members as all-conference players,” Greeny said. “I think that says a lot.”
Clemente finished 17th in the NAIA in service aces per game at .61 and was No. 32 in kills per game at 3.7, Both marks led the team and the conference. The 5-foot-11 native of Sorocaba in Sao Paolo, Brazil led LCSC with 343 kills and a .305 hitting percentage. She also had 57 service aces and ranked second on the team in digs with 421. She also had 22 assists.
“It’s a great honor to have a player receive that award,” Greeny said. “I know after Anile won it last year that one of her goals was to come back and win it again. She had a great season.”
Maciboba, 6-0, was second on the team in kills with 199 and hit .279 for the season. She was second on the team in blocks with eight solo blocks and 62 block assists.
“She really stepped it up and the end of the season,” Greeny said. “When everyone else isn’t playing well she is our go-to person.”
Scott, who like Maciboba is from Kennewick, Wash., led the Warriors with 421 digs and was fifth in service aces with 22. Like Maciboba and Clemente, she started every match and game for the Warriors this season. During the season she also set a school record with 38 digs in a match.
“Especially late in the year she played really well,” Greeny said of Scott. “This is her first year at playing libero for an entire season. She had a great year.”
The 6-2 Lyman, who is from LaGrande, Ore., was having a spectacular freshman year until she went down with a season-ending knee injury. Despite missing the final third of the season, she still was fifth on the team in kills with 115 and had a .275 hitting percentage. She also had three solo blocks and 29 block assists.
“I think that says a lot about Josi that she was still voted to the team despite missing half the year with an injury,” Greeny said.
After Lyman went down, Herrick stepped in and played an important role on the team and is fourth with 129 kills and a .232 hitting percentage. She also had four solo blocks. She is a 5-11 outside hitter from Cypress, Calif.
“Lauryn really came on in the second half of the season,” Greeny said. “She really improved as the year went on.”
Greeny downplayed the coach of the year honor, especially compared to last year when LCSC was picked to finish sixth in the conference race but won the title. This year, the Warriors were the preseason favorite.
“I think it’s a whole team effort as a coaching staff so I have to give Burdette (Greeny) and Amy (Flaig) a lot of credit,” she said. “They do such a great job.”
The University of Great Falls also placed three players on the 12-member all-conference team. Rocky Mountain and Montana Tech finished with two each, while Carroll and Westminster had one apiece. Six of the 12 were seniors, while the other six were juniors.
First Team
Anile Clemente, Jr., Lewis-Clark State College (MVP)
Jessica Eliasson, Sr., Rocky Mountain College
Alison Culp, Jr., Westminster College
Maria McNeil, Sr., Montana Tech
Julie Maciboba, Sr., Lewis-Clark State College
Kari Schiller, Sr., University of Great Falls
Lindsay Scott, Sr., Lewis-Clark State College
Christina Smetana, Jr., Carroll College
Marissa Stanchfield, Jr., University of Great Falls
Cassie Hodges, Jr., Montana Tech
Jennifer Peterson, Jr., University of Great Falls
Sarah Madinger, Sr., Rocky Mountain College
Second Team
Sammy Priddy, So.,Carroll College
Haylee Otteson, So.,Carroll College
Theresa Bennett, So, Montana Western
Leigha Dangerfield, So.,Westminster College
Jessica Overstreet, So.,Rocky Mountain College
Jodi Miller, Sr., University of Great Falls
All-Freshman
Kristin Barott, Fr., Rocky Mountain College
Tosha Nunes, Fr., University of Great Falls
Lauryn Herrick, Fr., Lewis-Clark State College
Maureen Frauenholtz, Fr., Carroll College
Jillian Stanek, Fr., Rocky Mountain College
Josi Lyman, Fr., Lewis-Clark State College
Katharina Hinrichson, Fr., Rocky Mountain College
Coach of the Year
Jennifer Greeny, Lewis-Clark State
